Finings…Clarifiers…Flocculants…Whatever you call them, we have them.

PLUS the expertise to guide you clearing your fermentation projects!!!

Bentonite (Clay)

• Source: Volcanic clay (mineral, naturally occurring).
• How it works: Negatively charged; binds with positively charged proteins and removes haze.
• Pros:
  • Very effective for protein stability (especially in white wines).
  • Vegan-friendly and widely available.
  • Neutral flavor contribution.
• Cons:
  • Can strip out some aroma/flavor if overused.
  • Creates a lot of sediment, requiring careful racking.
• Best Uses: Early or mid-fermentation for wine; also in beer if severe haze issues. Excellent for vegan winemaking.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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Gelatin

• Source: Animal collagen (usually from pigs or cows).
• How it works: Positively charged; removes tannins, yeast, and proteins.
• Pros:
  • Very effective at quickly clearing haze.
  • Useful for reducing astringency in overly tannic wines.
  • Cheap and widely available.
• Cons:
  • Animal-derived (not vegan/vegetarian).
  • Overuse can strip too much body and flavor.
• Best Uses: Red wines with excessive tannins; also beer when clarity is urgent.

Vegan Friendly: ❌ No

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Chitosan (from Shellfish or Fungi)

• Source: Traditionally from shrimp/crab shells (chitin), but also available from fungal sources.
• How it works: Positively charged; binds yeast and bacteria. Often paired with kieselsol (silica sol).
• Pros:
  • Very effective for rapid clearing of both wine and beer.
  • Useful for microbial control (reduces spoilage organisms).
• Cons:
  • If sourced from shellfish → not vegan, allergen risk.
  • If fungal-derived → vegan-friendly option available.
• Best Uses: Quick clearing of young wines, ciders, meads, and beers. Works well in combination fining kits.

Vegan Friendly:

• ❌ If shrimp/shellfish derived.
• ✅ If fungal-derived (check product labeling).

Kieselsol (Silica Sol)

• Source: Silica (mineral).
• How it works: Negatively charged; usually paired with gelatin or chitosan for best results.
• Pros:
  • Vegan-friendly (inorganic mineral).
  • Excellent when used in two-part fining systems.
• Cons:
  • Alone, not always effective.
  • Needs complementary fining agent for full clarification.
• Best Uses: With chitosan or gelatin to clarify wines, beers, and meads.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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PVPP (Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone)

• Source: Synthetic polymer.
• How it works: Removes polyphenols and tannins; reduces browning and haze.
• Pros:
  • Vegan-friendly (synthetic, inert).
  • Great for stabilizing color in white/rosé wines.
  • Helps reduce astringency in beer.
• Cons:
  • Can strip desirable flavors if overused.
  • Slightly more expensive.
• Best Uses: White/rosé wines to prevent pinking/browning; beer for polyphenol haze.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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Sparkolloid

• Source: Polysaccharides (plant-derived, mostly seaweed).
• How it works: Positively charged; settles yeast and haze.
• Pros:
  • Vegan-friendly.
  • Leaves wine/beer bright and polished.
  • Works well late in fermentation.
• Cons:
  • Takes longer to clear (slower action).
  • Adds lots of sediment.
• Best Uses: Wine, cider, mead — often the final clarifier before bottling.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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Irish Moss / Whirlfloc (Carrageenan Seaweed)

• Source: Red seaweed (carrageenan).
• How it works: Negatively charged; added in the boil to bind proteins and improve hot break.
• Pros:
  • Vegan-friendly, natural.
  • Easy to use, just add in the kettle.
  • Prevents chill haze later.
• Cons:
  • Only works at the hot break (boil stage).
  • Doesn’t clear beer post-fermentation.
• Best Uses: Beer wort during the boil for clarity and haze prevention.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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Biofine Clear (Colloidal Silica)

• Source: Colloidal silica suspension (synthetic/mineral).
• How it works: Negatively charged; binds to positively charged haze-forming proteins and yeast, causing them to settle rapidly.
• Pros:
  • Vegan-friendly and allergen-free.
  • Fast-acting — clears beer in 24–72 hours.
  • Very effective when used properly; produces brilliant clarity.
  • Easy to dose post-fermentation, even in kegs or brite tanks.
  • No impact on flavor, aroma, or foam stability when dosed correctly.
• Cons:
  • Overuse can cause over-flocculation (flat appearance, possible haze rebound).
  • Works best cold (must be used after chilling).
  • Doesn’t remove tannins or color — purely for clarity.
• Best Uses:
  • Post-fermentation beer clarification (especially for vegan breweries).
  • Effective alternative to gelatin or isinglass.
  • Compatible with both ale and lager yeasts.

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

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Silafine

• Type: Silica hydrogel
• How it Works: Adsorbs haze-forming proteins before they can react with polyphenols.
• Pros:
  • Very effective against chill haze
  • Minimal flavor stripping
  • Improves shelf stability
  • Vegan-friendly
• Cons:
  • Usually requires filtration or settling time
  • Primarily used in commercial breweries
• Best Uses:
  • Lager production
  • Bright, shelf-stable beers
  • Replacing PVPP in some applications

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

When to choose Silafine over Biofine

• Choose Silafine for long-term chill haze prevention.
• Choose Biofine for rapid clarification of finished beer.

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Silafine Hot

• Type: Silica hydrogel for hot-side use
• How it Works: Added during brewing before fermentation to remove haze-active proteins early.
• Pros:
  • Reduces chill haze before it develops
  • Improves beer stability
  • Doesn’t require post-fermentation additions
• Cons:
  • Not useful for clearing an already hazy beer
  • Mostly used in commercial production
• Best Uses:
  • Pilsners
  • Light lagers
  • Shelf-stable packaged beer

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

Think of it as:

• Irish Moss/Whirlfloc: removes proteins during the boil.
• Silafine Hot: removes haze proteins before fermentation.
• Biofine: clears haze after fermentation.

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Clarity Ferm®

Clarity Ferm

• Type: Enzyme (prolyl endopeptidase)
• How it Works: Breaks down haze-forming proteins rich in proline.
• Pros:
  • Reduces chill haze
  • Produces very bright beer
  • Reduces gluten content significantly
  • Added once during fermentation
• Cons:
  • Not a true fining agent
  • Won’t clear yeast haze by itself
  • Doesn’t replace good brewing practices
• Best Uses:
  • Gluten-reduced beer
  • Hazy-prone lagers
  • Wheat beers that need improved stability

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

Unique Feature

Clarity Ferm is often chosen primarily for producing gluten-reduced beer, with improved clarity being a secondary benefit.

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Pectic Enzyme (Pectinase)

• Type: Enzyme
• How it Works: Breaks down pectin found in fruit.
• Pros:
  • Prevents stubborn pectin haze
  • Improves juice yield
  • Enhances clarification
  • Doesn’t strip flavor
• Cons:
  • Only works on pectin haze
  • Not useful for yeast or protein haze
• Best Uses:
  • Fruit wines
  • Cider
  • Mead with fruit additions
  • Fruit beers

Vegan Friendly: ✅ Yes

Essential Rule

If you’re using:

• Apples
• Peaches
• Apricots
• Cherries
• Berries
• Rhubarb

Pectic enzyme is often the first thing to try before any fining agent.

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Turbo Clear

Commonly sold as a two-part system containing:

1. Kieselsol
2. Chitosan

• Type: Dual-stage fining system
• How it Works:
  • Kieselsol removes positively charged particles.
  • Chitosan removes negatively charged particles.
  • Together they create rapid settling.
• Pros:
  • Extremely fast
  • Produces brilliant clarity
  • Very easy to use
  • Excellent for wine, cider, and mead
• Cons:
  • Traditional versions use shellfish-derived chitosan
  • Can strip some body if overused
  • Less effective on pectin haze
• Best Uses:
  • Wine kits
  • Cider
  • Mead
  • Fruit wines

Vegan Friendly:

• ❌ Most versions (shellfish chitosan)
• ✅ Some newer fungal-chitosan versions

Shrimp/Shellfish Note

Turbo Clear is one of the products where you should always check the package. Most homebrew versions historically contain shellfish-derived chitosan.

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Summary Table

👉 Summary Guidance:

• Vegan-friendly best bets: Bentonite, PVPP, Sparkolloid, Irish Moss, Kieselsol, and fungal-derived chitosan.
• Not vegan (animal/shellfish): Isinglass, gelatin, egg whites, casein, shrimp-derived chitosan.
• Winemaking: Bentonite (protein haze), casein (oxidized whites), egg whites/gelatin (tannin softening), Sparkolloid (final polish).
• Brewing: Irish Moss/Whirlfloc (boil), isinglass or gelatin (post-fermentation), PVPP (haze stabilization), chitosan+kieselsol kits (quick clearing).

✅ Vegan-friendly finings: Bentonite, PVPP, Sparkolloid, Irish Moss, Kieselsol, fungal chitosan, and Biofine.
❌ Non-vegan finings: Isinglass, gelatin, egg whites, casein, shrimp-based chitosan.

⚗️ How They Work (Fundamental Difference) Bentonite vs. Gelatin

So:

• Gelatin removes excess tannins, yeast, and haze-causing material.
• Bentonite removes proteins and prevents haze in finished wines and meads.

🍷 In Winemaking

Bentonite

• When to Use:
  • Typically before fermentation (protein stabilization) or after primary fermentation for clarity.
• Purpose:
  • Removes heat-unstable proteins that can cause haze, especially in white wines and fruit wines.
  • Improves long-term stability and clarity.
• Advantages:
  • Vegan-friendly, natural mineral.
  • Excellent for “protein stability.”
• Downsides:
  • Can strip out aroma and flavor compounds if overused.
  • Produces heavy sediment that needs careful racking.

✅ Best used in:

• White wines, rosés, fruit wines, and meads.
• Base wines before blending or sparkling production.

Gelatin

• When to Use:
  • After fermentation, near bottling.
• Purpose:
  • Reduces tannin harshness and bitterness, clarifies red wines.
  • Useful for softening astringent reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, etc.).
• Advantages:
  • Quick clearing, smooths rough wines.
• Downsides:
  • Animal-derived (not vegan).
  • Can over-fine and flatten body if too much used.

✅ Best used in:

• Harsh, young red wines with excessive tannins.
• Wines where flavor softening is desired, not just clarity.

🍺 In Beer Brewing

Bentonite

• When to Use:
  • Rarely used in beer — too strong and can cause over-flocculation.
• Purpose:
  • Not ideal for beer haze removal (it strips proteins that also form head retention).
• Best Use:
  • Occasionally used in gluten-free beers or special fruit beer bases where protein haze is a problem.

Gelatin

• When to Use:
  • After fermentation — add to cold beer (cold crash).
• Purpose:
  • Clears yeast and haze quickly; produces bright beer without filtration.
• Advantages:
  • Works fast (24–48 hours).
  • Inexpensive and effective for beer.
• Downsides:
  • Animal-derived, so not vegan.
  • Overuse can reduce head retention slightly.

✅ Best used in:

• Finished beers before kegging or bottling.
• Lagers and pale ales where brilliant clarity is desired.

🧭 When to Choose Which

🧪 Combination Use (Sequential Fining)

In winemaking, gelatin and bentonite are sometimes used together, in sequence:

1. Gelatin is added first to remove excess tannins.
2. Bentonite follows to remove leftover gelatin and achieve final protein stability.

This method gives a balanced, stable, and clear wine, but requires careful bench testing to avoid over-fining.

🧡 Quick Takeaway

• Gelatin = Softens harsh reds and clarifies finished beer/wine (non-vegan).
• Bentonite = Stabilizes and clarifies whites, meads, and fruit wines (vegan).

Other Clarifiers – 

Casein (Milk Protein)

• Source: Dairy protein (milk/cream).
• How it works: Binds with phenolics, reduces browning, improves freshness.
• Pros:
  • Great for fixing oxidative browning in white wines.
  • Lightens color and removes off-flavors.
• Cons:
  • Not vegan (dairy).
  • Can over-fine and strip flavor if not carefully used.
• Best Uses: White wines with oxidation or browning problems.

Vegan Friendly: ❌ No

Egg Whites (Albumin)

• Source: Fresh egg whites or dried egg albumin.
• How it works: Bind with tannins, softening astringency.
• Pros:
  • Traditional for red wines (esp. Bordeaux).
  • Excellent for smoothing rough, tannic wines.
  • Gentle, doesn’t affect color much.
• Cons:
  • Animal product (not vegan).
  • Risk of allergy issues.
  • Less effective for haze compared to other agents.
• Best Uses: Harsh, tannic red wines before bottling.

Vegan Friendly: ❌ No

Isinglass (Fish Swim Bladders)

• Source: Collagen from the swim bladders of sturgeon or other fish.
• How it works: Positively charged; binds to yeast and suspended solids, helping beer clear quickly.
• Pros:
  • Extremely effective in beer for polishing and rapid clarification.
  • Gentle on flavor and aroma.
  • Minimal impact on mouthfeel.
• Cons:
  • Not vegan/vegetarian.
  • Some consumers may find fish-based products unacceptable (allergen labeling issues).
• Best Uses: Bright beer tanks or cask ales when very clear, sparkling beer is desired.

Vegan Friendly: ❌ No

Quick Recommendation Guide